Suicide of the West

The Suicide of the West
Author Jonah Goldberg
Country United States
Language English
Subjects Politics, democratic backsliding, the rule of law, nationalism, and populism
Publisher Crown Forum
Publication date
 April 24, 2018
Media type Print
Pages 464
ISBN 978-1-101-90493-0

Suicide of the West: How the Rebirth of Nationalism, Populism, and Identity Politics Is Destroying American Democracy is a book by conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg.[1]

The book warns against illiberal forms of populism, and argues that the West is increasingly facing the risk of decline.[1]

Synopsis

The American Myth

Goldberg argues that the "virtues" of the United States have become "vices" in modern U.S. culture. The U.S. is turned from a City Upon a Hill, to a force for darkness and evil in the world.[2]

End of History

Jonah Goldberg rejects the concept of a political "End of History" as advocated by Karl Marx, Francis Fukuyama, and other thinkers. Goldberg states that there is no guarantee that liberal democracy— referring to a system that has a strong and fair rule of law and free elections, not the U.S. concept of liberalism—wins the battle of global ideological supremacy.

Nevertheless, Goldberg considers liberal democracy the best system to ensure political freedom.[1]

Modern America

He goes on to argue that the undermining of the U.S. myth has had disastrous consequences for the United States. Instead of highlighting the brilliance of the U.S. Constitution and the Rule of Law, Americans increasingly see the U.S. past and traditions as a uniformly "system of oppression, exploitation, and white privilege."[2]

"The Miracle"

Goldberg calls the invention of capitalism and liberal democracy "the miracle," crediting it for rapid human technological development, more wealth, and a more just and peaceful society.[1][3] He warns however that this mode of development surfs on the waves of stability, and that there exists a potential of moral and democratic decline in every nation or people-group, no matter how theoretically consolidated.[3]

Tribalism and the future of freedom

Goldberg argues that the U.S. is becoming increasingly susceptible to democratic backsliding due to partisanship and polarization, and that the consensus view of democratic consolidation is likely false, with the ability of advanced democracies undergoing decline.[4][5][6] Additionally, he states that current U.S. President Donald Trump and other recent U.S. presidents such as Barack Obama are undermining the concept of U.S. exceptionalism.[7]

Reception

On May 8, 2018, it ranked 5 on the New York Times bestseller's list.[8]

Michael Brendan Dougherty of the conservative magazine National Review (where Goldberg is a Senior Editor) generally praised the book, comparing it to Douglas Murray’s book The Strange Death of Europe. However, he disagrees with part of the book's conclusion, saying that he does not believe that free trade or inventions are under threat. Dougherty argues instead that religious and moral decline is behind it.[9]

Edmund Fawcett of The Economist called the book declinist, mockingly comparing it to past predictions of the decline of the Western World. However, Fawcett agreed that modifications to laws were needed.[10]

Adam Keiper of The Weekly Standard described it as "big, baggy, sometimes frustrating, often brilliant". Keiper favorably compares Goldberg's book to James Burnham's 1964 book, also titled Suicide of the West, saying that while Burnham's book was cynically fatalistic in describing a similar premise, Goldberg emphasizes potential changes that could be made.[11]

Nathanael Blake of The Federalist said the book was well-written and the book's lessons were important, but its view of liberalism was selective and incomplete. According to Blake, the book's main flaw is that "it does not seriously address the claim that liberalism destroys the social and familial resources that support it." According to Blake, Goldberg's embrace of John Locke as hero and Jean-Jacques Rousseau as a villain is simplistic and limiting.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Goldberg, Jonah. "Jonah Goldberg's 'Suicide of the West' Excerpt | National Review". National Review. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Goldberg, Jonah (April 19, 2018). "Suicide of the West: How the Rebirth of Tribalism, Populism, Nationalism, and Identity Politics Is Destroying American Democracy". American Enterprise Institute. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Tupy, Marian (March 26, 2018). "Explaining Our Miraculous Flourishing". Human Progress. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  4. ↑ Buble, Courtney (April 19, 2018). "Conserving 'conservatives' in the Trump era". NBC News. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  5. ↑ Goldberg, Jonah. "Suicide of the West". Jonah Goldberg's Personal Website. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  6. ↑ Goldberg, Jonah. "Suicide of the West by Jonah Goldberg". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  7. ↑ Goldberg, Jonah (April 19, 2018). "Jonah Goldberg: Trump does not mirror Reagan's populism". New Hampshire Union Leader. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  8. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/hardcover-nonfiction/ - accessed May 8, 2018
  9. ↑ Dougherty, Michael (April 20, 2018). "Off the Shelf: Suicide of the West". National Review.
  10. ↑ Fawcett, Edmund (April 19, 2018). "The Decline of the West. Again". Financial Times. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  11. ↑ Keiper, Adam (25 April 2018). "Jonah Goldberg's Defense of Capitalism". The Weekly Standard. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  12. ↑ Blake, Nathanael (3 May 2018). "Is Jonah Goldberg Right About Why We're Committing Cultural Suicide?". The Federalist. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
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